Department for Transport

M4: Speed Limits

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 4 April (HL14781), whatestimate they have made of the (1)cost, and (2) time delay, to an individual motorist asa result of the 50mph speed limit on the M4 road works between Junctions 3 and 12; and what they estimate the comparable cost of a minute’s delay for an individual travelling on an intercity train to be.

baroness sugg: Highways England does not hold data in the format requested. The Economic Assessment Report provides a high-level estimate of the user delay costs, as provided in my answer of 4 April. The Department for Transport also has guidance on economic appraisal of the impacts of unplanned rail delays and temporary timetables associated with engineering work. Estimates will vary based on demand levels, purpose of trips and rail fares.

Roads: Litter

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that Highways England enforces the terms of the contract agreed with Connect Plus in respect of litter clearance; and how many times Highways England has imposed a financial penalty on that contractor since the contract was awarded.

baroness sugg: Highways England conduct a monthly Environmental Audit inspection to ensure Connect Plus meet their contractual obligations in respect of litter.Although there is no direct mechanism to apply financial penalties for failure to collect litter specifically, Connect Plus are monitored on their performance with respect to removing litter from the strategic road network. Failure to meet their contractual obligations can trigger various sanctions, which can range from increased reporting, additional monitoring to loss of entitlement to certain bonuses. In extreme cases, if the performance of a contractor persistently falls below the terms of the specific contractual arrangements across multiple aspects of performance, this could lead to contract termination through contractor default.

Driving: Licensing

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce graduated driving licences for young drivers.

baroness sugg: The Department’s Driver 2020 research project will form part of the evidence base required to understand the implications of implementing graduated driving licensing (GDL). The Department will also monitor the results of GDL in Northern Ireland when the system is introduced.

Department for Education

National Education Union: Internet

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the accuracy of the information provided by schoolcuts.org.uk, maintained by the National Education Union.

lord agnew of oulton: Following criticism by the UK Statistics Authority, School Cuts have recently amended their website. The campaign compares data on schools’ budgets published by the Department for Education with an estimate of cost pressures on schools since 2015-16. This is used to create a cumulative figure, covering 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19, which is presented as a single figure representing ‘cuts’ that schools have faced.Our record has been to prioritise school funding, while taking difficult decisions on public spending elsewhere. Core funding for schools and high needs has risen to £43.5 billion this year – its highest ever level in cash terms, and since 2017, the national funding formula has given every local authority more money for every pupil, while allocating the biggest increases to the schools that have been most underfunded. We do recognise that schools have faced cost pressures, and have an extensive programme to help schools make the most of the funding available to them.

Apprentices: Taxation

lord bird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the proposal by the retailer Timpsons for a more flexible approach to the apprenticeship levy that does not require the use of pre-approved, often non-specialised, training providers in order to qualify for a grant.

lord agnew of oulton: ​Our apprenticeship reforms have put employers in the driving seat, empowering them to design new high-quality standards that give apprentices the skills that employers need. We are replacing old-style apprenticeship frameworks, which employers told us were not equipping apprentices to do the job. There are now over 420 industry-designed standards available for employers to use. We’ve seen strong uptake of these new standards; during the first half of 2018/19 nearly 60% of apprenticeship starts were on them.We have introduced the levy to create long-term sustainable investment in high-quality apprenticeship training. Employers are able to choose how to spend their levy, so long as they spend it on apprenticeships. It is important that we maximise the effectiveness of government investment in training and our reforms are making sure that apprenticeships are delivering the high-quality training that both individuals and employers need.​We have introduced the register of apprenticeship training providers to give employers assurance that the training received by apprentices will be of a high quality. The register ensures that only providers who are appropriately skilled, ready to deliver, and financially stable can access apprenticeship funding. Employers who want to directly deliver apprenticeship training to their own employees can apply to the register, which remains open for applications.

Schools: Finance

lord oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Agnew of Oultonon 3 April(HL14408), what was the total revenue funding provided to (1) primary schools, and (2) secondary schools in England in each year since 2010.

lord agnew of oulton: Since 2013/14 there has been a schools block, within the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), from which local authorities fund budget shares for schools based on the number of pupils within those schools. The amounts local authorities have allocated from their schools block to schools classed as primary schools and to schools classed as secondary schools for each year since 2013/14 to 2018/19 are shown in the following table:  Financial yearSchools classed as primary schools (£million)Schools classed as secondary schools (£million)Total (£million)2013/1416,18014,27130,4512014/1516,63714,21230,8492015/1617,17013,72730,8972016/1717,52913,73231,2612017/1817,83013,85731,6862018/1918,26714,36432,631Due to changes in the way the DSG was allocated to local authorities prior to 2013/14, it is not possible to provide figures broken down by primary and secondary schools from 2010/11 to 2013/14. Before 2013/14, funding allocated through the DSG to local authorities was not based on separate per pupil rates for schools. At this time, the DSG was allocated to each local authority using a single per pupil amount allowing them to fund individual budget shares for schools and academies, local authority central services for schools, additional support for high needs pupils, and provision for early years education.

Schools: Admissions

lord oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total number of (1) primary, and (2) secondary school, students in England in each year since 2010.

lord agnew of oulton: Information on schools and pupils in England is published in the annual ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ statistical release: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2018.Specifically, the number of primary and secondary school pupils in England in each year since 2010 can be found in table 2a, attached, within the ‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics 2018 - national tables’.



HL15152_Table_2a_All_Schools_Number_Schools_Pupils
(Excel SpreadSheet, 48 KB)

Music: Education

lord black of brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the timeline for the review of the National Plan for Music Education, which currently runs until 2020.

lord agnew of oulton: We have begun preparatory work on the refresh of the National Plan for Music Education, which will be published by 2020.We are grateful to the many music stakeholders who have already submitted reports and proposals, and are reviewing these closely. A further public announcement will be made soon, setting out our plans to ensure that everyone with an interest in music has the opportunity to contribute.The government believes that music is an important subject and that all pupils should receive a high quality music education, at least up to age 14. That is why the subject is compulsory in the national curriculum and why the government is providing funding of over £300 million for music education hubs between 2016 and 2020. The national curriculum does not apply in academies, but all state-funded schools have to provide a broad and balanced curriculum.In order to ensure all pupils are able to enjoy a high quality music education, we are also developing and publishing a non-statutory model music curriculum for key stages 1 to 3. This will expand on the statutory programmes of study and act as a benchmark for all schools.

Ministry of Defence

Afghanistan: Immigration

baroness coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many former Afghan interpreters to the UK Armed Forces in Afghanistan have been relocated to the UK under the Locally Employed Staff Ex-Gratia Scheme.

earl howe: As of 12 April 2019, 438 former Afghan Locally Employed Staff have been relocated to the UK. This figure includes former FCO and DFID staff and a small number who, although not interpreters, were deemed to have served outside the wire on the front line for 12 consecutive months and were made redundant, and were therefore eligible for relocation.

Afghanistan: Immigration

baroness coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many family members of former Afghan interpreters to the UK ArmedForcesin Afghanistan have been relocated to the UK under theLocally Employed Staff Ex-Gratia Scheme.

earl howe: As of 12 April 2019, 845 family members of former Locally Employed Staff (LES) have been relocated to the UK. This figure includes the family members of former FCO and DFID LES and the family members of a small number who, although not interpreters, were deemed to have served outside the wire on the front line for 12 consecutive months and were made redundant and were therefore eligible for relocation.

Afghanistan: Immigration

baroness coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) Afghan interpreters, and (2) members of their immediate family are currently awaiting (a) a decision on their relocation to the UK under the Locally Employed Staff Ex-Gratia Scheme, and (b) implementation of the decision that they may relocate to the UK under that scheme.

earl howe: The Department is currently examining the cases of seven former Locally Employed Staff (LES) to establish their eligibility under the Ex-Gratia Scheme, all of which are expected to be resolved by the end of April.If the former LES member is found to be eligible then the relocation process can begin immediately. As no decision has been reached, no family details have been obtained and I am therefore unable to give numbers of family members.There are five former LES and twenty-eight family members waiting to relocate to the UK. Three are scheduled to be relocated within the next three months and two have requested that their relocation be temporarily suspended for personal reasons.

Afghanistan: Immigration

baroness coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Afghan interpreters who have been relocated to the UK under theLocally Employed Staff Ex-Gratia Scheme are currently waiting for members of their family to be able to join them; for how long they have been waiting; and when they expect the family members to arrive in the UK.

earl howe: Under the original terms of the Ex-Gratia Scheme, Former Locally Employed Staff (LES) who were deemed eligible for relocation to the UK were required to bring their family members with them at the same time as they themselves were relocated. For a variety of reasons, not all of them did so. 138 former LES were relocated to the UK on their own, but it is not known how many of them may have left behind family members who were eligible for relocation related to the Ex-Gratia Scheme. To join them subsequently, those family members still in Afghanistan were required to meet applicable Home Office immigration rules independently of the Ex-Gratia Scheme.The Home Office amended the immigration rules related to the Ex-Gratia Scheme earlier this year and those changes came into effect on 6 April 2019. As of 12 April 2019, the Department has received a single application, though it is estimated that the family members of 30 former LES will be eligible. Applications will be processed as quickly as possible. Ministry of Defence officials expect the majority of family members to arrive within six months of their application.

Service Complaints Ombudsman: Powers

baroness garden of frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to strengthen the powers of the Service Complaints Ombudsman and, in particular, to make the Ombudsman’s recommendations legally binding.

earl howe: The powers of the Service Complaints Ombudsman were subject to extensive consideration during the passage of The Armed Forces (Service Complaints and Financial Assistance) Act 2015. We have no current plans to change those powers.As I have stated in my previous answer to the noble Lady's Question HL5618 on 6 March 2018, recommendations made by the Ombudsman are not legally binding, but they do have considerable weight. The expectation is that the Services will follow recommendations made by the Ombudsman, unless there are good, cogent and defensible reasons not to do so.

Employment Tribunals Service: Armed Forces

baroness garden of frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to legislate to give members of the armed forces full access to employment tribunals.

earl howe: Members of the Armed Forces have access to employment tribunals concerning a claim under the Equality Act 2010 in connection with certain allegations of discrimination. An employment tribunal will normally wait for the service complaints process to be finished before hearing any case. We have no current plans to broaden these provisions.If a Service person has a valid grievance on any other matter relating to their service in the Armed Forces, they may make a service complaint and seek redress. The role of the Service Complaints Ombudsman was created to give complainants who are not satisfied with the outcome or handling of their complaint an independent route to addressing their concerns and to increase the level of independent oversight.In certain circumstances, if the complainant remains unhappy with either the decision of the Ministry of Defence or the Ombudsman, they may also challenge those decisions by way of Judicial Review.

Veterans: Complaints

baroness garden of frognal: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to provide (1) support, and (2) funding, for veterans who find themselves subject to complaints relating to when they served in the armed forces.

earl howe: Veterans facing criminal allegations relating to their service in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan are provided with fully funded legal representation, for as long as it is necessary. In addition, the Ministry of Defence is committed to providing high quality welfare and pastoral support to all those veterans affected by historic investigations. Veterans can access this support through the Veterans Welfare Service, part of Veterans UK, on 0808 1914 2 18.

Cabinet Office

Public Sector

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the relative merits of public services being run directly by public service operations in comparison to private contractors.

lord young of cookham: Outsourcing is an important component in a “mixed economy” of government service provision which includes in-house and the voluntary sector. Research commissioned by the previous government has shown that outsourcing can deliver savings of some twenty to thirty percent.Decisions on whether to outsource any particular service are made on a case by case basis according to Treasury guidance and the newly published Outsourcing Playbook. This guidance aims to ensure government makes well evidenced assessments when deciding whether to outsource a public service and helps government and industry work better together to deliver high quality public services.

Government Departments: Contracts

baroness smith of gilmorehill: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of their vetting procedures when awarding contracts for Government support services.

lord young of cookham: Her Majesty’s Government requires that National Security Vetting is conducted to the same standard for all employees in sensitive roles, including those working for government support services. Vetting is conducted centrally by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV). Vetting policy, which sits with the Cabinet Office, applies equally to government personnel and private-sector employees on government contracts. Cabinet Office encourages all government departments to uphold a set of minimum personnel security standards and these may be applicable for certain industry roles. ‘Support services’ is a broad category and could include everything from cleaning and catering to IT provision, security and administration. In that context different roles will have very different requirements and approaches are flexed depending on the risk. It is the responsibility of individual government departments to determine their security needs for each contract that they enter into. The requirement for vetting will be decided based on a given role’s access to sensitive assets, facilities or materials.The procedures by which a private-sector company or contractor can gain a vetting clearance are currently designed to prioritise security as opposed to ubiquity; individuals must be able to demonstrate they will be working on an active government contract before being granted a clearance. This ensures tighter control of who is cleared, for what purpose and for how long. A comprehensive, cross-government review of National Security Vetting is underway. This will examine potential reforms in vetting for the private-sector – including how we can improve the timeliness of security clearance and reduce the administrative burden of it for small and medium enterprises.

Interserve

baroness smith of gilmorehill: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the Cabinet Office designation of Interserve as a high risk supplier in June 2018, how that designation was communicated to all Government departments and agencies.

lord young of cookham: As stated in the Strategic Supplier Risk Management Policy that applied in June 2018, the Government does not publish whether or not a strategic supplier is designated as high risk. This Policy was withdrawn and replaced with a new approach to the monitoring and management of strategic suppliers through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the government and each of its strategic suppliers.